ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Tuesday directed the Higher Education Commission (HEC) to take strict action against all those universities and higher education institutions operating without securing no-objection certificates (NOCs) from it.

According to the HEC record, there are 244 registered universities in the country, including 145 in public sector and 99 in private sector.

Federal Education Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain has directed the HEC chairman through a letter to raise the standard and quality in the existing universities “instead of allowing new setups to establish both at the federal and provincial level.”

“In order to ensure effective human development by following the quality standards envisaged by HEC, I call upon you to take strict action against all such universities/HEIs, which have been established without obtaining valid NOC from HEC and to make public announcement through print and electronic media that all such universities/HEIs are not recognised by HEC,” reads the letter.

The minster stated that as a policy matter the HEC might not process any such NOCs in future and focus on the quality improvement of current universities.

The letter said that higher education was the nucleus of knowledge and its practical manifestation, and the basis for a platform making great contribution to the economic growth and development.

The minister said that if provided adequate opportunity of learning skills and quality higher education the youth of Pakistan could well contribute to the economic welfare of the country.

He said that all this was possible by having a clear strategy of raising the standards of the existing higher education institutions instead of allowing establishment of new setups.

The letter mentioned that the Council of Common Interests (CCI) in its 44th meeting held last year had also decided that HEC would be the sole standards setting national organisation with regards to the higher education in the country. This decision had further empowered the HEC to set, ensure and monitor the quality parameters for HEIs/universities across the country, which could only be established by seeking valid permission.

The minister recalled that National Assembly Standing Committee in October this year had unanimously recommended for HEC to ensure that none of the universities/HEIs were operated without its valid NOC. An officer of HEC said that “strict action” against unauthorised universities was on the cards.

Published in Dawn, November 9th, 2022